The JW Marriott at LA Live, across the street from Staples Center, got into the spirit of things, displaying this message on their gigantic video display immediately after the Kings won the 2012 Stanley Cup on June 11.
(click to view larger image)
Photo: Gann Matsuda/FrozenRoyalty.net

LOS ANGELES — After the final horn sounded on Monday night, after a 6-1 score lit up the scoreboard at Staples Center in Los Angeles, the dreams became real, the unthinkable became fact…

…the Los Angeles Kings had won the 2012 Stanley Cup, the first championship in the team’s 45-year history, closing out the Eastern Conference Champion New Jersey Devils in six games.

As Kool and the Gang’s Celebration, and Queen’s We Are The Champions played in a loop over the arena’s PA system, Kings players, coaches and management, along with their families and Kings staff, shook hands, embraced, kissed, laughed—all in rather jubilant fashion, during an on-ice celebration.

Los Angeles Kings left wing Simon Gagne spoke to the media
at the team’s practice facility on June 12, 2012.
Photo: Gann Matsuda

EL SEGUNDO, CA — The bad news for the Los Angeles Kings is that their 3-0 lead in the 2012 Stanley Cup Final over the New Jersey Devils has shrunk to 3-2, after losses in Games 4 and 5. Just as bad is the fact that no team that has led in the Stanley Cup Final by a 3-0 margin has won the series in six games.

Game 6 is scheduled for tonight at Staples Center in Los Angeles (5:00 PM PDT, NBC).

Almost as bad for the Kings is the fact that teams that have led in the Stanley Cup Final by a 3-0 margin, are just 1-1, in a seven-game series.

The Devils’ strength late in a playoff series is also a factor in the series now. Indeed, with their win in Game 5 on June 9, the Devils are now 10-1 in Games 4-7 during this year’s playoffs, compared to their 4-8 record in Games 1-3. Read more of this post

The Kings lead the series, 3-1, and would win the first Stanley Cup Championship in the 45-year history of the franchise with a victory.

The Devils played their best game of the series in Game 4, while the Kings were a bit too relaxed.

“We didn’t have our best game tonight, and they did,” defenseman Matt Greene said after Game 4. “They played well. We knew they were going to come out hard, and they did. We have to be tighter in the defensive zone, and tighter in our game if we want to win.” Read more of this post

The New Jersey Devils are back in the friendly confines of the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, after finally getting a win in the 2012 Stanley Cup Final against the Los Angeles Kings in Game 4 of their best-of-seven series on June 6, avoiding a four-game sweep.

To their credit, the Devils could have easily gotten frustrated and down on themselves heading into Game 4. Instead, they came out with their best performance of the series, following a similar pattern of playing their best in Games 4-7 of a playoff series this season.

“I don’t have an explanation for that, said Devils head coach Peter DeBoer after Game 4. “I haven’t found a significant jump in our play in the second half of a series. I just think we find a way to get everything clicking, where early in the series some things haven’t worked.” Read more of this post

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